Term BreakSchool holidays and term dates across Australia

NSW term dates and school holidays 2026

School holidays 2026: autumn 3–21 Apr · winter 4–20 Jul · spring 26 Sep–12 Oct · summer from 18 Dec

Term dates 2026

Term dates 2026, New South Walesgovernment schools; first and last day of each term; the department publishes no week counts, so these are calculated from Monday-to-Friday term dates and rounded to the nearest week
TermEastern divisionWestern division
Term 1 to Download calendar entry
9 weeks (calculated)
 to Download calendar entry
8 weeks (calculated)
Term 2 to Download calendar entry
11 weeks (calculated)
 to Download calendar entry
11 weeks (calculated)
Term 3 to Download calendar entry
10 weeks (calculated)
 to Download calendar entry
10 weeks (calculated)
Term 4 to Download calendar entry
10 weeks (calculated)
 to Download calendar entry
10 weeks (calculated)

School holidays 2026, including the Easter break

School holiday periods 2026, New South Walesthe department's holiday dates, the days students are away where they differ, and the first day back at school
Holiday periodEastern divisionWestern division
Summer school holidays 2025–26 (before Term 1) to Download calendar entry
36 days (official dates only)
Back at school
to Download calendar entry
43 days (official dates only)
Back at school
Autumn school holidays to Download calendar entry
19 days off school (official dates 11 days)
11 weekdays to plan forderived
Students away to (19 days)
Back at school
to Download calendar entry
19 days off school (official dates 11 days)
11 weekdays to plan forderived
Students away to (19 days)
Back at school
Winter school holidays to Download calendar entry
17 days off school (official dates 12 days)
11 weekdays to plan forderived
Students away to (17 days)
Back at school
to Download calendar entry
17 days off school (official dates 12 days)
11 weekdays to plan forderived
Students away to (17 days)
Back at school
Spring school holidays to Download calendar entry
17 days off school (official dates 12 days)
10 weekdays to plan forderived
Students away to (17 days)
Back at school
to Download calendar entry
17 days off school (official dates 12 days)
10 weekdays to plan forderived
Students away to (17 days)
Back at school
Summer school holidays 2026–27 to Download calendar entry
47 days off school (official dates 41 days)
29 weekdays to plan forderived
Students away to (47 days)
Back at school
to Download calendar entry
54 days off school (official dates 48 days)
34 weekdays to plan forderived
Students away to (54 days)
Back at school

Days students are away

The department’s published holiday period may differ from the full time students are away between the two published terms. Where they differ, the table shows both ranges; the length shown counts every day students are away.

Calculated from the published dates, this counts Monday to Friday while students are away, excluding public holidays that apply across the whole state or territory. Parents who work Monday to Friday may need to arrange care or leave for these days, depending on their working arrangements and any local public holidays.

Download calendar file (.ics): Eastern division The file contains only published dates, with no calculated or assumed entries.

Download calendar file (.ics): Western division The file contains only published dates, with no calculated or assumed entries.

First day of school (eastern division)
Monday 2 February 2026
Last day of school (eastern division)
Thursday 17 December 2026
School weeks (eastern division)derived
40counted here from the term dates, Monday to Friday
Days in listed school holidays beginning in 2026 (eastern division)derived
100 days
Breaks starting in the year shown
Holiday periods beginning in 2026: 4
Weekdays off between termsderived
35 weekdays within breaks between terms, excluding summer
School holiday comparison for 2026derived
Weekdays off between terms: most in NSW (35), fewest in SA and TAS (30); calendars compared: 8
Longest break starting in the year shown, with published datesderived
Summer school holidays 2026–27: 33 weekdays, spanning 47 days overall
Shortest school breakderived
Spring school holidays: 11 weekdays across 17 days in total
Public holidays within school breaksderived
Statewide public holiday dates in 2026: 10 of 13 within school holidays
Long weekends during 2026derived
6 long weekends from statewide public holidays; in term time: 2

A derived label marks a figure calculated here from official dates; the official source does not publish the figure itself.

Check government school term dates and school holidays in New South Wales for 2026. First days back are listed beside each break where published. Term lengths are shown in weeks and break lengths in days. Pupil-free days set centrally by the department are listed separately where published; individual schools may announce additional days. Holiday periods calculated from term boundaries carry a derived label. The source details at the end link to the official calendar and record when it was read.

New South Wales division calendars

New South Wales publishes calendars for an eastern division and a western division. The western division starts the school year a week later, so its summer holidays also finish a week later; the other terms share the same dates. Check your school's division to choose the right calendar.

Pupil-free, staff and teacher dates 2026

Pupil-free, staff and teacher dates 2026, New South Walesdays published centrally by the department, with the department's own wording; some apply to a region or to certain year levels only; schools may add their own
DayDateDivision
School development days Term 1 to Download calendar entryEastern division
School development days Term 2 to Download calendar entryBoth divisions
School development day Term 3 Download calendar entryBoth divisions
School development day Term 4 Download calendar entryBoth divisions
School development days Term 1 to Download calendar entryWestern division

Days set centrally and days set by schools

Only centrally published pupil-free, staff and teacher dates are listed here. Teacher start and finish dates are not pupil-free periods. Some entries apply only to particular regions or year levels, so check each one. Schools may announce additional pupil-free days of their own, which are not published centrally.

Related

Questions and answers

When do school holidays start in NSW in 2026?

In 2026 (eastern division): autumn school holidays from Friday 3 April 2026, winter school holidays from Saturday 4 July 2026, spring school holidays from Saturday 26 September 2026, summer school holidays 2026–27 from Friday 18 December 2026. Check the school holidays table above for each published break in NSW during 2026. A derived label marks a period calculated from the surrounding term dates.

When does school go back after the 2026 school holidays in NSW?

Back at school in NSW (eastern division) after the summer school holidays 2025–26: Monday 2 February 2026; after the autumn school holidays: Wednesday 22 April 2026; after the winter school holidays: Tuesday 21 July 2026; after the spring school holidays: Tuesday 13 October 2026; after the summer school holidays 2026–27: Wednesday 3 February 2027. For the NSW school holidays listed for 2026, check the first day back beside each break, where published. Read the pupil-free day notes too, as staff and students may return on different days.

Are pupil-free days included for NSW in 2026?

NSW (eastern division), 2026: School development days Term 1 (Tuesday 27 January to Friday 30 January 2026); School development days Term 2 (Monday 20 April to Tuesday 21 April 2026); School development day Term 3 (Monday 20 July 2026); School development day Term 4 (Monday 12 October 2026). Schools in NSW can set additional pupil-free days of their own. Check your school's calendar for 2026 for any further days.

Sources

Dates on this page were last checked against the official pages on . If any dates differ, follow the official page.